


Shine On

by Anonymous



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Basically just them being as sappy as they can be, Canon Compliant, Coffee, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29160567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "I... Hinata." Tobio turned his face fully to confront him. "I've always had volleyball. Even when I had nothing and no one left, I've always, always had volleyball. When all I knew was loneliness, I had volleyball. But this past year," Tobio almost choked on his own words, "that too was taken away from me."—Or kagehina are sappy boyfriends on christmas time, and end up drinking too much coffe to send their problems to hell.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28
Collections: Kagehina Exchange





	Shine On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [d_fenestrate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/d_fenestrate/gifts).



> This is... the very first entire kagehina fic I've ever written. I might have fucked up so many things in these two lovebirds characterizations, but I still hope it can be enjoyable!
> 
> Also yes, I wrote this entire thing listening to James Blunt, go and listen to his songs and tell me they weren't made for this pairing!
> 
> Said this I never tasted a cappuccino in my life, so every single vague description of it is a pure figment of my imagination. :)

* * *

_If you need a hand_

_I’ll come running_

_You and I won’t part till we die_

_— Heart to Heart, James Blunt_

— o —

_December 16, 2020_

The foam was steamy and creamy, puffing happily from the heat, its fragrance lingering in the air. It was so fluffy —no more substantial than a cloud— and artfully shaped to break with the gloom of the coffee into heart-shaped folds. Or at least what was left of a heart, Tobio didn't have time to dwell much on the beautiful shape that had been given to the foam since Hinata had already stolen a large amount of it, now intent on licking his thieving, feline finger.

"I hate to admit it but,” he grinned at him, wiping his finger on a napkin, “you were right. This cappuccino is... delicious!"

Tobio snorted, not as elegantly as the foam, cup brought to his lips to hide a smirk. "I know. It's mild, but it works exactly like any other coffee would. It's not as strong as a whole Italian Espresso though."

"Hmm... it's just right though, isn't it? It's like eggs, you add milk and everything becomes more yummy," Hinata said, turning a smile to him as he stretched out on the back of his chair.

"Eggs..." 

"Yep! We should cook something for ourselves later, I managed to escape the border with some top secret ingredients" Hinata whispered comically behind the palm of his hand put up as a shield.

Tobio looked at him baffled, aware he hadn't lied about anything he just said.

"Idiot. You know there are jap- no, there are whole stores that sell typical Japanese ingredients. I'm not starving or... whatever nonsense is running through your brain."

Hinata ignored him, fidgeting with his smartphone, struggling —as much as Tobio could discern— with his camera. Then he straightened up and started fiddling with his breakfast left untouched on the table where they were sitting: a croissant, two tangerines - one slightly more greenish than the other - an orange juice and two raisins-cookies. He replied, "I never looked for anything like that in Brazil! I thought that umh... how should I put it… a 'full immersion' was necessary, since my goal was to adapt in every way." 

Tobio stared at him thoughtfully for a while looking at how Hinata scrunched his nose in concentration, then declared, "I'm not trying to adapt to Italy though. I'm just here to play. For volleyball."

Hinata pushed the croissant closer to the glass brimming with juice, trying to keep it balanced on it, while sneaking a peek through the crystal glass at Tobio, who was enjoying his cappuccino. "So Kageyama-kun,” Hinata nodded at his words, slightly teasing, “why did you take me to have breakfast in a place that I wouldn't exactly call a 'tourist cage'? Moreover to eat sweet things for breakfast?" He asked.

"Because,” Tobio set the cup down in a snap, “with the damn virus this whole country is going to shut down until at least January. We might not even be able to leave the house, and I wanted to do... something nice." Tobio blushed slightly at his words. As much as his relationship with Hinata had been going on for several years he still couldn't help but get worked up over the smallest things. He didn't mind at all to bring out his romantic side - it felt good, when his heart swelled and floated in bliss in his rib cage. It felt like volleyball. He just needed to do certain things... at his own pace. 

He was right though, the place they were spending the first few moments of the day in was lovely. It had something of a homey feel to it, perhaps because of some of the plants resting on the shelves, or the countryside paintings lined up on the wall. Or maybe it was the food itself, the bitterness of the coffee that rested stinging at the bottom of his palate soon after covered by the delicate veil of milk.

The place wasn't particularly crowded, not being located in the center of the city, which for Tobio was a relief. Although the virus had forced him to hole up in his apartment for months, Tobio had also spent several of them at large and had noticed to his disdain that Italians tended to be particularly noisy in public places, especially if there were televisions. But only two couples were around them, no wailing children or radio programs or screens to disturb the bubble they were huddled in. The only background noise was the clinking of the porcelain the barista was carefully washing, along with the gurgling of the various machines used to pour the coffee. It would be nice to have a one of a smaller size in his apartment, Tobio thought.

It was a cozy, affordable place - that offered exquisite products - to escape in in search of a little peace and privacy.

"Rather,” Tobio recomposed himself before Hinata could add a word, “what are you doing? Just eat already!" He blurted out to the other one, who was struggling with lining up one cookie on top of the other after taking a small bite.

"I'm trying to get a great shot... the elements are correct, however, the composition doesn't quite work for me yet," Hinata replied with his tongue stuck through his teeth.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Instagram!"

"Instagram?" Tobio pouted, in confusion. Hinata would often come up with something new, and every single time Tobio would worry about what potential disaster he was going to create. Well, except for Brazil. Tobio had always been proud and confident about the decision Hinata made years prior.

"That's right. Influencer, my new goal. You know how it is, every now and then you need new hobbies," Hinata chirped, eyes fluttering to encompass a bright smile. When he didn't get a response though, he looked up at Tobio to find him completely puzzled, at which he burst into a light laugh. "Omi-san mmh, he challenged me, sort of. Well more like he complained that I'm a messy person - which is totally untrue! So I'm trying to arrange my socials with a more... organized vibe. Sophisticated. Harmonious. Add adjectives." Hinata explained nonchalantly.

Tobio had absolutely no idea what he was babbling about, his entire brain shrunk into a little black dot in a white sea of incomprehension.

"Stop looking at me like that, you look constipated!" Hinata squawked, offended by the stare he was being submitted to. "I never back down from a challenge, you perfectly know that!" He said, squinting his eyes.

_How was that even a challenge?_

Tobio extended an arm toward Hinata, eyebrows pulled into a frown. "Oi, did he come to your house by any chance?" He asked, snatching the cookie Hinata was terribly struggling to place from his hands and stuffing it whole into his mouth. "HEY!” Hinata moaned, futilely trying to retrieve it before it was brutally engulfed. He was too slow. He fell back in his chair dramatically, lips twitching to stop an overly loud tantrum.

"You're mean," he hissed, glaring at him. Tobio swallowed loudly in response.

Hinata sighed, rolling his eyes. "Yes, just before I left, to return one of the books I lent to him," he replied in surrender, stuffing his mouth with the surviving cookie.

"So with your whole apartment full of boxes and all the stuff you needed in order to move out?" Tobio asked through cookies-crumbs, tone almost accusatory towards Hinata's former teammate. Tobio was rarely defensive when it came to Hinata, he knew that he was perfectly capable to defend himself from any offense and that no one could step on his toes. However, he couldn't stop that tingling in the pit of his stomach, especially if it was in regard of something Hinata had worked so hard for, hence he wasn't ashamed to make some mocking remarks about things and people here and there. 

"It doesn't matter, forget it." He replied - quickly understanding his intentions - chomping on the jam croissant. "Oh my god that's good." 

Tobio chuckled smugly, mentally adding a point to his list of victories, reminiscing the scene Hinata made that very morning at Tobio’s suggestion to have breakfast out.

_"I, more than anyone else, appreciate exploring places, but I just got here!” Hinata had whined. "My head is still spinning from the jet lag and my feet,” he grabbed one tragically, “are begging for mercy after you made me walk all over Rome to get to your apartment!" He blurted,_ _standing on the other foot with perfect balance_ _._

 _Tobio threw a pair of pants right in his face,_ _slightly annoyed by his behaviour._ _"It's not my fault if the transportation in this city_ _sucks_ _!" He yelled back at him. "And your feet, heck. They don't hurt. Just stop it. And get moving. My fridge is empty anyway."_

 _Hinata_ _kept complaining_ _until they were already in the middle of the street, despite Tobio's prolonged, accusatory glares ordering him to shut up for once._

 _Tobio knew, b_ _ecause Hinata was like his left hand_ _, that the reason he had sulked and refused to look at him until they reached their destination was caused by that extremely and ridiculously romantic side he occasionally brought out, despite often going against all his principles. I mean, who has ever seen a Hinata so stubborn about not getting out of bed?_

 _"Cuddle, cuddle first Kageyama-kuun!" He had yelped when Tobio had tugged the blankets off of him,_ _clinging dramatically to the mattress, like a cat aware of the vet appointment awaiting for him._ _And Tobio really understood him, as they shared that romantic side equally and messily, but he was also aware that with the_ _lockdown_ _coming up and the limited time Hinata would be spending in Italy, they would have enough of it to waste curled up with each other for at least ten people. And Tobio was well aware of how Hinata loved to discover and see new things, and Rome happened to be an objectively beautiful city to look at, so he dragged him out of the house unscrupulously._

Tobio crossed his arms, delighted by his rich smile of appreciation. "You should have put a cappuccino in there instead, my dear influencer," he teased him. "Even I can see how it perfectly contrasts your orange cluster."

"Shut up!" Hinata said reflexively, finishing his croissant in a gulp. Tobio could see how he was slightly annoyed, probably due the fact he couldn't manage to get that shot he was so worked up for. Not that he was a genius at understanding people, in fact, he struggled a lot in most cases. But Hinata... it was different with him. It always has been, even before he was aware of it.

"I'm serious, if you want I can order you one," Tobio said quietly. Hinata's lips curled upwards in a moment's notice, the previous annoyance melted away in a blink. Yes, it had always been different with Hinata, but Tobio had learned over time to flip him over like a tissue, always knowing what to say and when to say it in times of need. He didn't show it, but he was especially proud of it.

"Hmm... yes, that would be very hot," Hinata muttered in a low voice, "listening to you speak in that awkward Italian of yours," he chuckled, lines of annoyance dissolved in the air in a flutter of his heart.

"Hey, I need time okay? Everyone has their own means and - "

"I know, I know!" Hinata interrupted him. "And I appreciate it. Your effort with the language, communicating and all. It hasn't been that easy for me either." Hinata's words rolled off his tongue with a sense of experience and affection, and Tobio felt himself shudder, if only for a moment.

“Though! I don't drink coffee in the morning! Especially not on Wednesdays! My diet is very strict!" Hinata pointed out proudly, preventing Tobio from exploring further the emotion that had just crept under his skin.

Hinata picked up his phone again, sipping on his juice, this time struggling with an app that Tobio couldn't identify. Then he exclaimed, licking his lips, "We can come by tomorrow after lunch! You have early morning practice so it shouldn't be a problem right?"

Tobio pondered on the proposal, considering the various timings between gym-home-bar until a vital detail crashed straight into his brain. "No, no we can't."

"Why?" Hinata mumbled, eyes snapping to the screen to see if he had pinned something wrong on what Tobio had just realized was his schedule-app.

"I'm free, it's just that,” Tobio shifted his gaze from Hinata to the coffee grounds piled on the side of his cup, trying to find the correct words, “some of my teammates... when we first went out together with the team after practice, they cornered me and specified very clearly to not, and I mean never, order a cappuccino after 11am," he concluded, focusing again on Hinata with a pout, who was staring at him in bafflement.

"Why?" He asked, squinting.

"I have no idea."

They stood staring at each other for a few moments in silence, with only the sound of a bell tower in the distance marking time, then Hinata shrugged and began peeling one of the two tangerines. "Some things should be left as they are, I guess. And to be honest, the idea of infuriating some Italian bartender doesn't appeal to me. They seem pretty serious about these things."

Tobio tilted his head. "They're not going to kick me out of the country over something like this...right?"

"Of course!" Hinata exclaimed. "Still... who knows, maybe they'll let you find some surprises… they’ll break in your home or something."

"HINATA?" Tobio hissed completely terrified at the statement.

"I'm kidding, stupid," Hinata grabbed one of the fruit peels in his hands, aiming with perfection at the spot where Tobio's eyebrows had furrowed in annoyance.

Tobio breathed through his teeth in response.

"Always remember though! When you travel-"

"You respect the culture, I know," Tobio cut him off. "You don't need to remind me of all the points on your 'Bachelor of the World' list every chance you get. I have,” and this time he was the one taking the aim with that same peel he got shot with, “a perfect memory."

Center, right on his nose. His eyes grinned mischievously, gleaming.

"I thought you wouldn't even read it honestly," Hinata admitted, peeling back another wedge, trying not to sneeze from the blow.

"Why would I... I read it every day before going to sleep!" Tobio blurted out.

Hinata almost choked on the fruit, and sputtered, "Wait, you took it to Rome?!"

Tobio was stunned, or more like offended deep down his core. Of course he has read it and most importantly, kept it. That list was written in a notebook that Hinata had carefully wrapped up before showing up at the door of his apartment in Tokyo, basically jumping out of excitement. It was their anniversary, Tobio found out shortly thereafter, an occasion to which the two had never paid attention before. In fact, Tobio was doubtful that it was the correct day in the first place, since their relationship had a rather slow start and developed through a long process, so he was sure that Hinata needed more of an excuse to be there after taking the three-hour Shinkansen from Osaka to the capital. On the other hand, Tobio really appreciated the gift. Not only was it a perfect notebook on which to start a new section dedicated to his overseas volleyball experience, but the list itself Hinata was blabbering about could be very useful, containing various tips and tricks that Hinata had learned over time during his two years in Brazil. He really loved it, so much that it was one of the first things he shoved into his _necessary things_ backpack as he was getting ready to leave Japan.

Also, something he wasn't ready to confess yet, it was a part of Hinata that Tobio had decided to take along with him. And by now it had become part of his routine to reread it every night before bedtime, and in case he had learned something new during his stay in Italy, to jot down a new point at the bottom of the list.

"Of course, why shouldn't I? Rather, can you begin to have more faith in me damn it." He said indignantly. 

"There is no man in the world with more good heart and faith in people - and you - than I do," Hinata said braggingly, pointing at his chest with his index finger. "Still... your romantic side is always a surprise to me."

Yes, Tobio was definitely, deeply, utterly offended. He reached out to grab Hinata's hand, still pointed at himself, spreading his fist to move it from his chest to his own face. "There is no man in the world more romantic than me!"

If Tobio blushed at his own words, it certainly took a back seat to the fiery color that painted Hinata from the edge of his shirt to the roots of his hair.

Before Tobio could add anything, Hinata had already snapped to his feet, hastily buttoning up his coat in embarrassment. 

"Anyway, it's already ten o'clock, didn't you want to wander around the city so badly? Let's get moving!" He said rushing, trying not to cross Tobio's gaze, focused on piercing his back. _Heck, Hinata seeks_ _for_ _attention like a madman at every opportunity, and now that Tobio is actually behaving as he wishes, he wants to run away from it?_

"I'm winning here," Tobio therefore told him, teasingly.

"I'll get back at you!" Hinata quacked in answer and with two strides he rushed outside the bar.  
  


— o —

"Too adorable Tobio. Too much." 

Hinata was busy hiding his still blushing face inside the collar of his coat, trying to escape from Tobio's smug gaze, who kept nudging him as they walked towards the center. _You, you're adorable,_ Tobio thought, as Hinata hopped back up beside him, before being nudged again. He looked like a small orange rabbit, shrunken in on itself because of the strong, frigid wind that had just risen, squeaking with every push.

Tobio didn't tell him. He did, however, slip off his scarf and then wrapped it around their necks, tying them together side by side like a koala with her cub. Hinata hummed in appreciation, tilting his head and snuggling into the curve of Tobio's neck as he embraced Hinata’s torso with his arm, intertwining his fingers with the hand opposite his side. Then Tobio slipped it into his coat pocket, drawing small circles on his palm.

"You're freezing," Tobio noted, pulling him closer to his own body. The temperatures in Rome had been dropping drastically for the past week or so, and though Hinata didn't want to give it away, the lack of warmth in his hand was enough confirmation. Tobio certainly had no intention of spending the short time he was given with a chilled and bed-confined Hinata. And in general, the sight of such an event was going to bring back unwanted memories for him.

"I know," Hinata said, locking his right palm in the embrace of Tobio's. "I obviously overestimated Italy," he admitted in a short breath, air condensing over his words. The loose blush on his skin tone was no longer the product of the previous awkwardness, but of the drafts that slyly crawled into every narrow crack, thrilling his senses.

"Yet point #37 on your list reads to always check the weather and daily temperature of the places you are visiting," Tobio said as he glanced at him.

"Are you going to remind me of every point on that list? And the way you remember the exact number is scary!" Hinata said, pulling himself even tighter into his embrace.

"It's not scary. It's dedication. I remember everything you say," Tobio stated, hitting Hinata with his hip again, aware that the action would drag them both down because of the scarf holding them together.

"Woke up chatty today, I see," grunted Hinata, trying not to completely lose his balance and fall in the middle of the street with Tobio on top of him. "Where did all your shyness go?"

"I'm just being romantic. Weren't you the one who complained so much about the lack of it?" Tobio reminded Hinata, dragging him back to the sidewalk.

At those words, Hinata brightened up and untied them from the less-than-functional embrace they'd gotten stuck in, quickly overtaking Tobio to block his way.

"You know…” he began, hopping in place with his arms wide open so Tobio wouldn't advance, “we can be romantic and get warm under the blankets. At home." Hinata said, winking at Tobio with his eyebrows going up and down.

There was something about Hinata shrouded in freezing cold. Somehow, although mere moments before he was shivering by his side, Tobio thought the cold fit him in a way that warmth could only hope for. Hinata smiled as the frost blew over his exposed skin and threaded through his unruly wisps. Hinata was definitely a sunny person, one could tell just by his name, or the power he had to warm anyone who happened to be dazzled by his passage. The cold, however, ripped Hinata from the sky, stripping him of his blinding light. He was left naked and raw, innocent and serious and furious. Rather than being warmed by him, it was Hinata himself who made Tobio shiver, devastating reality flaring up beneath his half-closed eyelids and unrevealed experiences cowering behind his chapped lips. 

Hinata never stopped shining.

Tobio squinted his eyes at him, noticing how hopeful he really was in his innocence, then leaned closer, crossing the fingers of his hands with Hinata's still wide open ones. He leaned slightly into his face, in what looked like an invitation for a kiss, and Hinata lit up even more, getting carried away in the movement. He paused until their lips were almost brushing and the breath of one was inhaled by the other. He looked straight into his eyes, which burned with anticipation and desire, and pushed a little further until -

In a flash Tobio snapped straight, pulling Hinata toward him and spinning him around to switch places with surprising grace. Then he turned toward the direction they were moving to and resumed walking undisturbed.

"Hey!" Hinata shouted back at him, feeling betrayed and robbed of a kiss he'd been trying to get all morning.

"No way! We're walking today! By the way, I also remember you assuring me that we could do anything I wanted during your stay here," Tobio chuckled in response, not stopping.

That was a low blow, and he was proud of it.

"At least don't use my dance lessons against me!" Hinata squealed again, quickly chasing after him to slip back into his warm embrace.

— o —

"The smell is delicious!" Hinata said, as he rushed into the kitchen, dragging a chair behind him from the living room onto which he then dropped, proving to be more exhausted than he really was, resting his torso and chin on the backrest. Tobio was busy adding tuna fish to a pan full of tomato pulp, while another larger pot simmered furiously beside him. He was intent - or at least doing his best - on cooking a recipe that he learned from his neighbor.

It was the middle of summer when the old lady who lived next door had shown up at his apartment, looking for some company after long months of loneliness due to quarantine. Tobio had invited her in out of politeness, although the situation had made him nervous as he was aware that he would not be able to sustain an entire conversation in a language of which he still knew very little. At the end of the day, however, he realized how much he enjoyed her visit, not only from a gastronomical point of view, but especially for the cordiality of the lady, whom he greeted in the best Italian he could improvise.

That same evening he proudly added a check mark next to the bullet on his list that recommended communicating with those who lived in the place he was visiting.

Punctually then, Natalina, he had learned to be her name, started showing up every Sunday with some new treat prepared with care just for him, so Tobio had made an extra effort in reading some recipes online in order to be able to return the favor.

The dish he was intent on cooking was definitely his specialty and he was determined to share those fantastic feelings with Hinata's stomach, which was gurgling with hunger behind him.

Tobio looked at him out of the corner of his eye noticing how he went back to fiddling with his cell phone, probably intent on sharing the thousandth tweet of the day or posting another picture on his instagram. Indeed Hinata had taken some beautiful shots during the day, with Rome free of tourists, even places like the Trevi Fountain were easily navigable in peace. After lunch the two had also returned to another bar to allow Hinata to complete the post he had tried unsuccessfully to create that morning at breakfast. With a latte of course.

"To be honest it looks good, in terms of colors I mean, just as much as a cappuccino does," murmured Hinata, thumbs flying across the screen. "It also tastes better. It's sweeter," he then added with hungry eyes turned to the newly posted photo.

"That's why cappuccino tastes better," Tobio noted, stirring the sauce in the pot. Hinata began to wobble up and down with the chair, pushing himself with his legs. Tobio was always amazed at how much energy resided in his body; ever since he was just a little boy it was impossible for Hinata to stay still in place for too long. Of course five minutes was an exaggeration even for him, especially noticing how his attitude eased slightly as he grew older. He was most likely starving.

"Eehh? I thought you liked sweet more."

"I do," Tobio replied, "but I prefer spicy or umh... more savory things."

"Fair..." murmured Hinata, letting his gaze wander around the room they were in. Tobio's apartment was convenient for location, not far from the gym where his team trains, but at the same time it lacked size and the kitchen in particular was built into one corner of the main room, open to the sides that faced the living room. It was quite bare, the few utensils he used collected in a container near the sink, while his refrigerator was restocked twice a week. One section in particular was reserved only for his energy drinks, and a basket next to the fridge stored fresh fruit. It was more than enough in his honest opinion. Hinata, however, obviously had something to say about even the smallest things. "Yellow..."

"What?" Tobio asked, confused.

"No I'm saying... this yellow is terrible," commented Hinata, stretching even further from his chair.

Tobio's eyes snapped to the bare walls of his kitchen, frown furrowed in self-defense. "I didn't choose the color of the walls. Besides, yellow is a nice one." Tobio replied dryly, as he lowered the heat on the smaller pot and prepared to drain the pasta he had just finished cooking in the larger one.

"Yeah but this is piss-yellow!" Hinata exclaimed, giggling at his own words.

Tobio turned to stare at him, finding him with his face settled in his palm, eyes slightly half-closed and obviously lulled by the more than divine smell emanating from the dish he had cooked. _Another victory_ , he thought.

"So you're going to break Atsumu-san's heart," he commented, as he set the plates out.

Hinata's eyes snapped open again and he straightened up in his chair, bursting into joyful laughter. "You're so mean Kageyama-kun! Besides, come on, now he got toned."

"Hmm, and do you know why he did that?" Tobio mumbled, shutting down all the stoves. "It's a riot!" He exclaimed with a grin, turning fully towards Hinata. "He dyed it when his brother completely gave up volleyball. Hoshiumi-san told me."

"Ooh! Well then it's something serious," Hinata commented, jumping down from his chair and joining Tobio in a wide stride.

"And tell me Kageyama-kun," he pushed himself towards him, wrapping his arms around his waist, and _what arms,_ Tobio couldn't stop himself from complimenting internally. Hinata's biceps had surpassed all expectations, and contrasted perfectly with his own much slimmer and slender waist. "Would you have dyed your hair if I had been the one to give up volleyball?" He asked, with a mocking smile plastered on his face.

Although Tobio was completely aware that he was joking, even the thought that such a thing could happen made his blood run cold in his veins. "No." He exhaled sharply. "I'd shave you ‘til you’re bald instead."

"Hey!" Hinata groaned, quickly bringing his hands from Tobio's body to his head in defense of his scalp. "Admit it you're just jealous of my hair!"

Tobio loves Hinata's hair. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud, but he was actually convinced that Hinata was fully aware of it, if only because of all the times he reflexively went to touch it mindlessly.

Tobio turned his back on him again, beginning to sort out all of the supplies used for cooking, while Hinata continued to make rambling comments, pacing around the kitchen. "If you can't paint the whole thing, why don't you hang some pictures on it? You have so many of mine! I send them all the time! Or even of the team...or whatever you want really."

Then he gave himself the push to sit down on the kitchen countertop where Tobio had just wiped off some food residue and resumed. "In my apartment in Rio, there were two of us living together, so I couldn't invade the rooms with whatever I'd like to see on a daily basis." He shifted his gaze to the small window in the wall to his left, not really focusing on anything concrete. "So I chose small but essential things that could fit in my room. For example, the Karasuno jacket! I also hung on the wall one of the many teachings that Takeda-sensei gave me!" He recalled, with a faint smile on his lips.

Tobio paused to observe him, lost as he was in his own thoughts. To tell the truth, they had never had a detailed conversation about the two years Hinata had spent in Brazil before making his entrance into professional indoor volleyball back in Japan, as there was never any need to. Usually if Hinata wanted to talk about something, he would do so on his own initiative. Therefore Tobio was used to never pushing him to say more than he wanted to. That's why the fact that Hinata had started talking about small things such as his bedroom was a big surprise to Tobio and he didn't miss a single word.

The further he went though, the more he felt himself stiffen, an unpleasant feeling tangling in the back of his throat. 

"Now that I have more space in my apartment in São Paulo though, I'm making a revolution," he noted, raising a finger in exclamation. "Some of the team brought me several things I had already fallen in love with, and I had others sent to me by my acquaintances in Rio as well!"

 _Oh_ , Tobio realized, that the more he listened to Hinata describing how he had gotten so comfortable on a continent so far away, the more that same feeling that had hit him that morning at breakfast made his skin crawl. 

"Then of course I brought a lot more things from home with me, after all I hope my stay in Brazil turns out to be longer this time," Hinata went on, chirping in satisfaction. "I chose home just according to how much it would be possible for me to remodel it inside you know? I think creating your own space in which you can feel comfortable is crucial-"

"How did you do that?" Tobio gasped, interrupting him so suddenly that it made Hinata startled. He breathed hard, not daring to look at Hinata and clenching his hands on the edge of the stovetop, hating the way his voice cracked, wavering in the middle. He himself hadn't realized how much stress and anxiety he'd built up over time, and he was cursing himself internally for allowing them to slip out at such a time. The very last of his intentions was to ruin the precious time he had been given to spend together with his partner.

"Done what?" Hinata asked quietly and genuinely, giving him his full attention, but Tobio remained undaunted with his gaze fixed on a point on the opposite side of the kitchen, not answering his question.

"Tobio?" Hinata called him softly. "Hey... Tobio, look at me."

Tobio breathed once, twice, and three times, only to turn around slowly at the other's call, catching his gaze. He was aware of it, he was perfectly aware that he had no need to hold back with Hinata, that out of all the people on this planet he was the one who would understand him the best. But still, opening up like this was difficult, considering that throughout his childhood he had never had the opportunity.

"To always be okay. In Brazil," he whispered, shifting his gaze back down to Hinata's toes, which were wobbling from where he was sitting.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked again, not letting the tone of his tone waver. Tobio admired the way he was able to have such formidable control over his voice expression, especially in peculiar and delicate situations like these. He often wondered how this was even possible.

Tobio mulled over his own thoughts, not knowing himself how best to vocalize them. He thought about his team in Italy, how they had welcomed him with open arms despite not understanding a single word Tobio was saying. He thought about volleyball itself and how different the Italian league was from the Japanese one. A different good though, an approach to the sport that Tobio loved so much, that in the chaos that was often created on the court he couldn't help but get excited and enjoy himself even more. All of these things were fine, he had nothing to complain about. So he ran his mind further, trying to figure out when those feelings of stress had started to get on his heels.

And the fragments of memory that he had tried to drown in a lake of inevitability slowly surfaced, scratching their way down his throat, just to get out of his lips. The moments of confusion, of disorientation, of exclusion, of not understanding... of loneliness.

"I've felt so damn lonely," he admitted stiffly.

Tobio caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye as Hinata nodded vigorously, waiting for him to go further on his own accord; it didn't seem like he intended to put any pressure on him, so Tobio took his time rearranging his thoughts. "Since... since about the time the quarantine began... but actually since long before that. Since I got here," he managed to stammer out awkwardly.

Tobio sighed in relief for having been able to speak, shifting his weight completely on the stovetop, looking for a more stable support than his legs, which he did not believe would have sustained him for long. Loneliness was certainly nothing new to Tobio, and just because the aftertaste of such a circumstance was not new to him at all, he would rather not taste it again, especially after so many years of tranquility and peace with himself. "I don't understand how... how you always manage to make these things work," he admitted, in a muffled tone.

The words that followed made Tobio stand on the spot again, gaze snapped back to interlock with Hinata’s. "What makes you think I was always okay in Brazil?"

Tobio babbled a few nonsensical words, mouth gaping at his statement, until Hinata closed the distance between them again, gently resting a hand on his left shoulder.

"It sucked in Brazil, honestly," he admitted fondly. "I think I went through one of the lowest periods of my life. You know," he sighed, snuggling into the shoulder he was gently stroking, "I've learned that there's a big difference between knowing you don't have a chance… and to having one but thinking you're wasting it."

Tobio swallowed hard, relating perfectly to his words. So many times he had felt this way. So close to achieving a goal, what he desired, what he _sought_ , but never succeeding, visions of his dreams slipping away from his fingertips, faster than water but not as wet as such. It left nothing damp in its wake but the dryness of emptiness for failing to hold it.

Tobio indulged in Hinata's touch, who had begun to draw imaginary lines down his arm. "And how did you come up with that?" He asked with his heart in his throat, whispering into the strands of his orange hair. "Some days I just want to blow it all to hell."

Hinata hummed in understanding. "Blow it all to hell..." he repeated absently.

"I... Hinata." Tobio drew his attention back to himself, this time turning his face fully to confront him. "I've always had volleyball. Even when I had nothing and no one left, I’ve always, always had volleyball. When all I knew was loneliness, I had volleyball. But this past year," Tobio almost choked on his words, "that was taken away from me, too."

Hinata didn't respond at first, letting the quiet flood over the two of them, only the smell of the still-warm food lingering in the air as Tobio's heart clenched unsteadily in his chest. Then Hinata shifted abruptly, facing Tobio. "Listen to me," he ordered with genuine confidence, and Tobio raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Right now we're going to the living room and eat this plate of pasta you cooked, because we're both starving. Then we're going straight to bed because you have early practice tomorrow. And you'd better put on something resembling a smile because,” he gestured pointing to his whole tall and slender body, “if you can't communicate much with other languages... the more expressive you are the better" he said all at once. Then, in the confusion that was in Tobio's mind, genuine but unexpressed words trying to seep into his senses, Hinata leaned toward him without allowing him time to think any longer and cupped his cheeks in his hands, staring straight into his eyes.

"Tobio. You may not have had volleyball anymore, but you're not alone this time. You have someone. You have me." He whispered, over his lips, so close to his own that they almost brushed. "I may be on the other side of the world, but I'm always here for you." He shot his gaze straight into his eyes, dead-serious as every time the purpose of his words was to affirm an irrevocable reality.

Tobio inhaled sharply, already feeling a great weight lift from his shoulders. He let that look puncture him and shake him from the inside out, every word that had been spoken pushed headlong towards his heart.

Truths he had known for some time now, but drowned by the bitterness of fears that might never leave him, came rushing back noisily and brightly, just like the man who was gently holding him in his hands.

Before he could murmur and express any of the emotions he was feeling, Hinata resumed narrating undaunted, in a quieter, less 'my-life-depends-on-this' kind of tone.

"When I was in Brazil, there were moments when I wanted to blow it all to hell, too. Moments when I thought that everything I was doing was useless! And that maybe it would be better to go back home and get a real job," he recounted out loud, his eyes languid with understanding. "The difference is whether you choose to give up or not," he concluded, letting his arms fall back to his sides. "Neither you nor I have ever given up, have we? Otherwise, we wouldn't be here."

His heart, which until that moment had beaten faster than a hummingbird's wing-beat, stiffened on the spot, pulsing vigorously. "Is that enough?" Tobio asked, finally giving voice to his thoughts after what had seemed an endless amount of time.

"Of course not!" Hinata exclaimed in dissent. "I never gave up, but what really helped me was meeting Oikawa-san!” Hinata smiled at the memory of that encounter that had left everyone dumbfounded, including Tobio himself. “He brought me back down to earth. How to say umm... he reminded me what I was really there for. We actually talked a lot about you," he revealed with a chuckle, a slight blush spreading across his cheeks, as he ran a hand over the base of his neck.

"Isn't that the same for you?" He then asked with innocent curiosity tilting his head to the side.

Tobio grunted at the question, there was a daily limit to all this personal openness and certainly the two of them had long since crossed it.

"Karasuno helped me," he admitted then, vacillating with his gaze around the room, "and you."

He wasn't looking at him, but he felt Hinata light up next to him, aware that the dark cloud that had been cluttering the air in the kitchen had finally dissipated, and he was grateful for it. He was grateful, because Hinata, with an emotional capacity of which only he was capable, had shaken him from all his thoughts, washing away all his insecurities, but this time he was sure that it was not a feeble feeling, but a lasting one. Tobio definitely felt wet and damp and washed by the water, no longer empty, at Hinata's passage.

"Let's eat!" Hinata chirped then, picking up his still steaming plate and hopping merrily out of the room, mood returned to exactly how it was earlier as he was chanting at him for the horrible color - Tobio admitted to himself that Hinata was right - of the kitchen’s walls.

"Oi," he blurted.

"Um?" Hinata stopped mid-jump, balancing on one foot.

"Thanks." He mumbled, nibbling on the last letter.

Hinata raised his eyebrows in bewilderment, not hearing those words come out of his mouth so frequently. But they were genuine, pure and soft and still soaked in the warmth of his heart. Then he flipped him a mocking tongue, twisting his face into a comical pout. "You better show me how grateful you are through this dinner. All this talk has made my stomach shrink in on itself."

"You idiot," Tobio barked at him, amused and not at all angry.

"Just for you!" He whistled back, setting the food down on the table he had previously set ready for the meal.

And in that moment, after fifteen long months, a year that felt like a decade, a distance of 9677 kilometers from Miyagi, heart to heart with the one person he cared about the most, Tobio felt at home.

— o —

_December 22, 2020_

  
  


"Happy Birthday Tobio," Miwa said fondly, smiling at the camera, although the image had frozen again while she was speaking for the twelfth time since Tobio had started the video call.

He was busy to, or at least was trying to, talk to his sister, with whom he hadn't interacted with for way too long. When Hinata had found out, he had puffed up all over like a full-cheeked squirrel, grabbing him by the ears and forcing him to promise that he would call her before New Year's Eve. You could tell he is a big brother, he'd thought at the time.

"Thank you," he replied, hearing his voice echo over and over again on the other side of the screen. That felt nice. Tobio had thought - a lot - about Hinata's words to him the previous week, about the fact that he was not alone. Tobio knew it very well, even though his definition of loneliness had varied over time, but his sister had always been an awareness in his life, even when she had moved to Tokyo for her studies.

Talking to Miwa felt nice. It was a familiar warmth that caressed Tobio nostalgically, but never negatively.

"Is Shouyou-kun with you?" She asked curiously, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy's figure on either side of the edge of the screen as she bit her lip. Oh. Tobio had forgotten about how his sister was also a big nosey girl. In that respect, there was no difference between her and Hinata's little sister other than the 10 years age gap.

Tobio sighed, lips all wobbly, and shifted to grab his laptop to move the screen so that the cocoon of blankets that Hinata was currently busy drooling and snoring over would be visible. "Wait it's all going jerky," she warned squinting in exasperation to spot the misshapen mass Tobio was pointing at. "Oh my god." She exclaimed in awe, not bothering to hide the smile that blossomed on her lips.

Indeed it was a sight that could melt the hardest of hearts, Tobio couldn't lie. The way the curls caressed his cheeks, and the soft lips were half-open letting little sighs slip out made Hinata look angelic.

That morning, while Tobio had gone to practice with his team, apparently Hinata had decided to prepare every activity, dish and setting to absolute perfection for three different celebrations. First of course Tobio's birthday, which by his word was the most important, then Christmas, _'Christmas is serious business here! We might as well get into it!"_ he had stated with resolution, and finally New Year's Eve. All this back and forth and organization had drained him of all his energy, which was altogether impressive and admirable.

However, the way Hinata had fallen deep asleep using his thighs as a pillow and clenched a fist to the sweater Tobio was wearing, holding it close to himself, certainly didn't do justice to a 70kg man, all shoulders, legs, ass and chest, who could jump more than twice his height and run the speed of three marathoners.

Tobio coughed shyly to hide his blush, putting the laptop back where it belonged. The image of his sister had frozen again; he really needed to set up a working Wi-Fi.

"I'm glad to see you're both okay," she smiled at him when the call came back on, joy dancing in her eyes. "What are your plans?"

Tobio glowered at the question, letting his left hand slip into his boyfriend's ringlets, fiddling with the wild wisps that tickled his tanned skin. "Hinata came here last week," he explained, "part of his matches were canceled because of the virus, and the gym was going to be closed until the first week of January anyway."

"So this was his idea?" She asked. "Tobio, you need to start taking the initiative too," she mocked him wittily.

Tobio huffed, building a pout on his face. "Either way... he stays until the 3rd," he said, curling a strand of flamboyant hair around his index finger. "And..." he added quietly, looking at how that silky-soft hair ruffled at his touch, "I'm planning to propose… things too. Soon."

The two of them continued to chat about this and that for another half hour, a veil of peace and tranquility wrapping itself around their bodies that just felt right. It settled nice on the back of his soul, in a way Tobio hadn't felt for so long. Mentally, he was holding Hinata tight, peppering him with kisses on every free inch of skin he could reach. Literally, he looked at him softly instead, once the call had ended with a 'Thanks for letting me hear from you Tobio, best wishes again' until a brilliant idea rang through his skull. He reached over to the other side of the couch, where he had abandoned his cell phone, intending to take some pictures of Hinata in that fetal position.

After all, Tobio owned socials too.

Just on the verge of opening the camera though, the intercom on his door croaked annoyingly, not with the usual expectation of finding good food and the kind presence of his neighbor.

Tobio huffed in frustration, but before he could even free himself from the tangle of arms and blankets that kept him pinned to the couch, Hinata's eyes suddenly snapped open and in the blink of an eye he was already running towards the front door.

"It's hereee!" He screamed as he scampered down the stairs with glee, leaving Tobio completely confused, puzzled, and deeply troubled on the couch, staring at the door that closed on its own from the recoil.

A few moments later Hinata was squeaking on the other side of the door, knocking furiously so that Tobio would let him in as soon as possible. Which he did, throwing the door open with a snap, lips stretched into a straight line and expression scrunched up. "May I know what on earth you are-"

"Happy birthday!" Hinata exclaimed, glowering, smile so wide it encompassed his entire face. Then he revealed what he held in his hands: a medium-sized package with Amazon printed on all sides.

"Get in, come on!" He ordered gloatingly. "I want you to unwrap it immediately!"

It turned out that the gift was an automatic coffee machine - no, with milk usage options as well. It was white and shiny and glossy and smelled like it was fresh out of the factory.

Tobio glanced at Hinata, who was rocking up and down on the balls of his feet, obviously on the verge of bursting into gibberish.

"Spit it out," Tobio commanded curiously.

"Blow it all to hell, no?" Hinata gleamed proudly. "Now we can have all the cappuccinos you want, I can take all the pictures I crave, and you're no longer in danger of being expelled from this country," he concluded smugly, raising his eyebrows in victory.

Tobio gaped a bit, letting his gaze run from Hinata to the machine, from the machine to the pack of coffee capsules included with the product, from the capsules to Hinata again. He remembered how a week earlier he had wished to own such a machine for personal consumption and how Hinata, once again, had read it into his mind effortlessly. The two really just breathed the same. And then he felt it, from his fingertips rushing up his spine, until he could no longer hold back a laugh that exploded loudly, making the air dancing around them tender with love and pure joy.

He looked again towards Hinata, who was holding his belly tight from laughing as well, and then between the tears that had formed in his eyes from the giggling, with damp hands and a soul wet from an endless sea of emotions, he pulled him towards himself, kissing him with a tenderness reserved for those rare, private moments.

No longer rare, in truth, since Hinata had jumped furiously into his life.

— o —

_December 31, 2020._

_11:57 pm._

"I can’t believe it. That we're drinking coffee at midnight." Tobio said, voice no more than a faint breath, not wanting to disturb the night that was about to explode into a swirl of colors. 

"You were the one who wanted to blow it all to hell!" Hinata whispered back in his ear, crouching down even though he had no need to. 

"I'd say we've gone overboard with that statement," Tobio hissed, glaring at him. "How many damn coffees have we downed in the last week? We practically have to reorder the capsules already." He scolded him in annoyance, pulling the blanket they'd wrapped themselves in closer as they were resting on the small balcony of Tobio’s flat to admire the fireworks.

"Whatever," Hinata brushed off his words with a wave of his hand, too excited about midnight to worry about anything else.

"What happened to your strict diet?" Tobio teased him, breathing closely to his ear, amused by Hinata's attempts to take back his own actions and words. Then he laughed loudly when Hinata turned his head away, his cup still half full and his lips smeared with white cream. "Let me commit my last sins of this hellish year in peace, man."

Tobio raised a hand in a vague gesture surrendering to Hinata as his shoulders still shook with laughter.

In those two weeks that Hinata had spent with him, Tobio had laughed so hard that his throat had begun to ache, to a point where even his teammates had begun to question him. He had silenced them with a simple 'My boyfriend came to visit me, he's an idiot and I love him very much' statement that got him many pats on the back, and a number of genuine good wishes.

_11:58_

Ah, Tobio was happy.

He was happy even though Hinata would be leaving in three days, knowing that they wouldn't see each other again until June, when they would both set foot back in their homeland to join forces on the national team.

He was happy even though the virus was still unfortunately a constant reality, and Italy was quarantined every other day.

He was happy even if the walls of his kitchen will remain a piss-yellow, now no longer a problem though, as Hinata had thought of wallpapering every inch of color with a thousand pictures of the two of them, some of which he was unaware they even existed until that moment. The amount of images that Hinata had secretly taken over time with the subject of a lost-in-deep-dreams-Tobio made him curse between his teeth for failing to capture a shot of him a few days earlier, when he was sleeping like a newborn angel.

He had also vowed to take his revenge this very night, knowing that at a certain hour, disregarding everyone and everything, Hinata would collapse dead weight on his bed, coming back down to earth only eight split hours later, sharp and square.

But then Hinata had decided to treat himself to a cappuccino on New Year's Eve, ruining all his plans of revenge, but as always Tobio had gotten carried away with his initiative, and now they were snuggled up on each other to keep themselves warm from the cold.

Tobio was happy. Because everything he needed, the ones he needed, were at his fingertips if only he so desired.

_11:59_

"You know Tobio," Hinata whispered, gaze directed toward the sky in search of some untimely light, "this is our year."

"Huh?" Tobio pouted out, in confusion.

"Twenty and Twenty-one," Hinata clarified, finishing his cup with a large gulp. Then he wiped his mouth with the palm of his hand, and continued, "like our uniforms."

Tobio blinked twice, trying to figure out what Hinata was referring to, mind always entangled by his nonsensical talk.

Until it did make sense and his heart leapt.

"That's cool," he admitted, hoping the darkness would sufficiently cover his cheeks that had quickly turned reddish. Those were some of that epic crap that always made his head spin in excitement.

"Do you think we're going to the Olympics this year?" Hinata asked hopefully, with a melancholy undertone, as he rested his head on Tobio’s shoulder.

"I have no idea," Tobio breathed out, knowing full well that setting too many expectations could only be a double-edged sword. Then he took the now-empty cup from Hinata's hand, setting it to the side along with his own, and welcomed him into a hug. "But we never give up, do we?" He swallowed in shyness.

Hinata shivered in his seat, snuggling closer to his body. "Right," he affirmed, smiling at the same words he had addressed to him a few days before, "not as long as we are with each other."

_00:00_

The sky from the pitch-black in which it was drenched exploded into a thousand colors and sounds, a succession of lights and fires blazing across the night.

Of course Tobio couldn't predict the future. He couldn't know if he would win the Italian Cup, or if he would play at the Olympics with Hinata as they had promised to each other ten years before. He couldn't know if the stars behind that fireworks display had shifted and interlocked perfectly to reveal good fortune to him.

And he knew that even if they were together, it didn't mean they were invincible, although that was all they could think about when they danced in sync on the court.

But on that very night, under that very same blazing sky, and with the sun himself clutched in his arms admiring in awe what was flaming above them, Tobio really thought, this would be their year.

And that really felt invincible.

**Author's Note:**

> Post Scriptum
> 
> We shall drink cappucino whenever we want. 3AM? Go for it!


End file.
